


Inside out

by gurj14



Category: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24864298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gurj14/pseuds/gurj14
Summary: Set 4 years after the events of the movie: The Birds of Prey have cleaned up Gotham, Dinah and Helena are in love, and Cass is about discover the family she never knew of because of private school volleyball. Yep.
Relationships: Helena Bertinelli/Dinah Lance
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Inside out

“If the police force had made better use of officers like Renee Montoya when she worked for us, things would be a whole of a lot better today,” Police Commissioner Jim Gordon said from his podium as photographers snapped away with flashes. 

Holding up a freshly shined and dazzling medal, he extended his hand to Renee who limped over (the last mission had been a real doozy, but that’s what happens when you take out the biggest mafia unit in Gotham).

If you asked Renee Montoya where she saw herself at fifty, it was not being endorsed by the entire Justice League on National (and World News too) for her bravery as Gotham’s new poster-woman. 

“So please help me welcome Captain and  _ Deputy Commissioner _ Renee Montoya back to Gotham City Police Department!” 

The applause was thunderous and Renee smirked when she heard Dinah catcall with just a tiny inch of her canary cry to be heard, Cassandra jumping up on her chair and screaming so loud some of the grouchy male officers in front of her winced. Helena was smiling wider than Renee thought the woman’s lips could, clapping as hard as she could during her standing ovation. 

Renee had sworn she was done being a cop, but here she was finally getting recognition for the hard work she deserved: the new face of Gotham PD as they stepped into a better, cleaner Gotham. Bonus was seeing her old Captain and Boss clapping with great reluctance, slouch din his seat. 

_ I cleaned this filthy ass fucking city from the inside out - that’s right Johnson now who’s your boss you little shit.  _

/

“Ugh love a woman in uniform,” Ellen said loudly to Dinah, making Cassandra pretend to vomit. 

“Thank you Commissioner Gordon,” Renee was wearing her full formal officer blues for the photo-op, a smile on her face. “When I quit this force I never quit Gotham - I just realised my precinct was corrupt and knew my whole life I wanted to fight crime. Gotham is worth it, you all are worth it. I’m only human, but I knew there was a lot to be done to clean this city from the inside out. I want to thank the Wayne and Bertinelli families for distributing funds under Commissioner Gordon’s leadership and I promise you all the force I am joining now is the force Gotham citizens deserve!”

“Not bad not bad,” Dinah smiled proudly at Renee’s speech. 

“Yeah, less eighties cop and more righties mayor campaign,” Helena was proud but her words had them both snickering. 

Ellen had left them to join Renee and Gordon, all of whom were currently chatting with other officers. 

Helena felt a kiss on her cheek as Dinah took her arm and whispered a warning into her ear. 

“Wayne is heading your way babe.” 

“Fuck,” Helena didn’t even bother forcing a smile the way Dinah did when Bruce Wayne walked over. 

“Dinah, Helena,” he reached out to shake hands and Helena reluctantly did, they were in public after all. 

“Cass grab us something from the vending machine?” Dinah stuck out a twenty to the teenager who rolled her eyes but took it, her private school skirt twirling as she dipped out to leave them alone. 

“Huntress dropped a lot of dead bodies in last night’s raid,” Bruce levelled Helena with a reproachful stare. 

Helena shrugged, “they were child trafficking.” 

“Killing is extreme, Helena.”

“Hey,” Dinah cut into the tension, “let’s shelf this talk for the next time we are in costume?”

“Or tomorrow morning at our investment meeting,” Bruce crossed his arms now. “You need to be increasing your company portfolio this year. The Justice League needs more funds and I’ve been bankrolling most of it. We can-”

“Hey!” a voice cut them off and they turned to see Lois Lane, the most famous fucking journalist in the world, waving at them. “Can the Daily Planet get a quote from the two billionaires in Gotham working to fight crime? Attending the comeback of the new Deputy Commissioner to the force doesn’t seem your kind of scene.”

Dinah snorted into Helena’s shoulder at the accuracy of what Lois Lane perhaps did not know, that Huntress and Batman were more lethal in crime-fighting than she knew. 

“Sorry, and you are?” Lois’s eyes narrowed at Dinah, suspicious. 

“Sorry Miss Lane, I just remembered something funny. Dinah Lance,” she reached out a hand and Lois accepted it. 

“Right. A close friend of the woman in honour this evening, partner of Helena Bertinelli for fourt years - how did you two meet, by the way? - and the daughter of a legend, Dinah Drake.” 

Alright so Lois clearly did her homework. Dinah felt Helena tense under her hold. 

Dinah narrowed her eyes right back, “that’s me.”

“Tell me, Ms. Lance, is it just a coincidence that Miss Bertinelli came back from the proverbial dead the same year your ex-boss Roman Sionis, who was rumoured to be in possession of the Bertinelli Diamond, was found blown to pieces in the pier?”

“Harley Quinn really hated that guy,” Dinah said, feelings agitated with this woman’s line of questioning. 

“What quote do you want?” Helena was less polite, interrupting them. 

“Right, right my quote,” Lois had her notepad and pen at the ready. “Why are you both backing the Police Department? Is it because Montoya is a close friend of yours, Helena?”

Bruce spoke for the both of them when he saw Helena’s fists curl. 

“Actually Miss Lane, Miss Bertinelli and I all have a lot in common. This city took our families from both of us when we were young. Celebrating Captain Montoya’s work against the mafia means a lot. We’ve seen what crime can do and we have the resources to help. We are not the only kids or people who have suffered the loss of loved ones because this police department never had the right resources.” 

“Yes and we are friends,” Dinah gave Lois a sweet, sarcastic smile. 

“Right. So not vigilantes but letting rich white money help the less fortunate.” Loisl ooked amused. 

Dinah felt Helena’s coming up temper and decided to save the moment, “oh look, Renee is available! We have to go congratulate her, come on babe. Bye, Lane!” 

Leaving them behind her, Dinah heard Helena mumbling under her breath as she led the way to Renee (who was clearly whispering something very naughty from the ‘oh’ on her lips by a horny for uniform Ellen). 

“She fucking knows-”

“Hey.” Dinah said softly, urging her to relax with a hand down her leather jacketed arm. “If you react like that, Bruce will just lecture you more.” 

Helena grimaced at the thought. Finding out Bruce Wayne was Batman had been cool and surprising at first, but the man had decided Helena had the resources and skills to pick up his vigilante baton and tried to mentor her. He wasn’t a fan of her ruthless ways, wanting her to adopt his bat code more than her Sicillian assassin upbringing. 

“I swear in another life that man was your father, Helena Wayne,” Dinah snickered. 

“Ugh,” Helena had calmed down though still trying to defend herself, “if it weren’t for my ruthless ways cops would not have been scared straight to actually do shit, right?” 

“Batman is a pretty scary hero babe, you have to admit he can be ruthless without killing.” 

“Child traffickers, Dinah.”

“I know, I know,” Dinah kissed her cheek. “And I love you even when you kill people. But Cassandra has been training a lot with Barbara, what kind of role model do you want to be for her? You want her killing?”

“Can we just go say ‘hi’ to Renee and talk about my kills later,” Helena crossed her arms, pissed off again. 

Sighing in exasperation, Dinah waved at Renee and they approached her. Dinah didn’t care for hesitating before engulfing the woman in a hug which was returned. 

“Get in this hug Bertinelli,” Renee extended an arm, “don’t make me whoop your ass.” 

Helena stepped forward into the group hug before another body collided with them, Cassandra had returned and was still excited. 

“You know none of this would have happened if I didn’t pickpocket and swallow that diamond right? You’re welcome.” 

“Punk,” Renee affectionately patted her back. 

Looking at Cassandra, Helena conceded Dinah’s point. In the last four years since she returned to Gotham, she had come only for one purpose: revenge. 

Then she found her family in these women, fought crime with them, got picked up by the Justice League (though Dinah took more of those missions than she did, she preferred working just with The Birds of Prey), and met Bruce Wayne -  _ The  _ Batman. 

Bruce Wayne knew who she was, Huntress and Bertinelli. He shared who he was and tried to parent her in a way that was both helpful and fucking annoying. He had helped get her family property back, shown her how to create a secret operation facility underneath it like he did with the batcave, and connected her and Dinah to work with Barbara Gordon. 

Barbara was known as ‘Oracle,’ an incredibly savvy computer genius bound to a wheelchair after being shot by the Joker who was now a permanent ‘Bird of Prey.’ She used to fight as ‘Batgirl’ with Bruce before her injury, and was now training Cass to pick up the mantle of Batgirl. 

A lot had happened in four years: Cassandra had become legally adopted by Dinah and they both lived with her in the mansion, they paid for her to attend Gotham Prep (an elite private school), and they travelled the world for missions and for fun. 

The best thing that ever happened, though, was Dinah. Dinah was the most perfect girlfriend, patient with Helena’s anger yet never letting Helena do something stupid. She was hot, beautiful, sexy, intelligent, a hell of a fighter, and had a wicked sense of humour. 

Falling in love had never been something she sought out, but with Dinah it was absolutely natural. 

They treated Renee to some drinks and dinner, and then bid her and Ellen a good night. 

“Ellen really likes your uniform.” 

“I know that’s how we first met.”

If anyone deserved to get seriously laid after four years of hard work it was Renee. 

Cassandra went into an excited retelling of her science project and how she used Barbara’s computer, and with Dinah's hand intertwined in her own as they both laughed at Cassandra’s wit, Helena was the happiest she had ever been in her life that day. 

///

Cassandra decided to play volleyball her last year of high school, and the girl was really good at it. Maybe it was all the martial arts that gave her a jumping and spiking reflex edge, but volleyball also offered a full ride to University and Cassandra had been determined that letting Helena pay for private school “was cool and all but no way is she paying for my university too!”

Dinah was running her own boxing gym these days in Gotham, mostly as a cover for all of her bruises. 

Still, hearing the stuffy Stepford type bitches that were the mothers of Cass’s unfortunate teammates was never the best part of attending a game. 

“See the way she’s always sporting some kind of bruise, her husband probably beats her.”

“Hmmm, and she’s clearly not the biological mother.” 

“Married rich, some people will do anything to get off the streets.”

Dinah was a second away from sonic booming them, Janet and Carey, to death but she held in her anger. She sat behind them and listened as they kept talking about her - totally unaware she was there. 

“Do you know any ‘Cain’ from business with Mark, Janet?”

“No. But she looks Chinese and we both know the Chinese business is big these days.” 

“Dinah!” Cassandra waved at her and Dinah bit back a smile when the two women in front of her paused, realising she was there. 

“Dinah, hi,” Janet crooned as if she hadn’t been talking shit. 

Dinah rolled her eyes and sat behind them. “I’m a boxer. The bruises?” 

The flush on their necks was the only embarrassment they showed at having been caught talking shit. 

“We’re just women looking out for each other.” 

Her phone ringing was the right moment for Dinah to ignore them, “hey babe.” 

_ “I don’t like math.”  _

“You’re good at angles and shit,” she chuckled at Helena’s vibrating anger through the phone (it was the harmless adorable kind, not Helena’s real anger). 

_ “The physics of a crossbow are not the same as fucking liability sheets.” _

“Well Cass’s gae is about to start.”

_ “Oh right, that’s why I called. Apparently they’re doing some major volleyball tournament in China and there was a very specific need for the parents to join them as chaperones? Is that a thing Americans do?” _

“You are American.” 

_ “Tch. So?” _

“Let me find out. Never been to China.” 

Helena muttered something in mandarin fluently before saying,  _ “well talk to her coach after.”  _

She hangs up with Helena and focuses cheering loudly everytime Cass spikes the ball so hard it causes the other team to flinch. 

After the game, the coach, Daryl, informs all the parents of the conditioner set by the organizing tournament body. 

“It was super specific that all guardians be on the trip.”

“I don’t want to go to  _ China _ ,” Janet said with distaste. 

“This tournament is huge, scouts and scholarships. Your husband actually got us the deal, Mrs. Clearwater.” 

“Oh,” Janet looked much happier after that, “well if Gary says so…”

Dinah’s gut gave her an inkling of it being weird, having so many chaperones seemed excessive... but she supposed it couldn’t hurt to go with Cass to a foreign country. That kid was bound to get into some kind of shit. 

/

“So exciting!” Cass is talking over a mouthful of her food, “Amy says the food is super good too. It has to be better than these Chinatown noodles right?”

“It’s going to be great,” Dinah laughed, happy to see Cass happy. 

“Where’s Helena?” Cass raised an eyebrow. 

Footsteps were heard as Helena entered the kitchen of the mansion as if summoned, reaching for a takeout box of chinese with a sigh and stuffing a forkful into her mouth. 

“There she is,” Dinah reached over and tucked some motorcycle helmet mussed hair behind an ear, “back from another day of the real crime fighting, crunching numbers and data!” 

Helena glowered as she chewed her food and Dinah kissed her cute face and Cass laughed. 

“My day sucked. How was volleyball, Cass?”

“We won!”

Helena smiled then, “nice.  _ Please  _ tell me Barbara has a mission for us?”

“Sorry, turns out we cleaned up a hell of a lot in Gotham.” Dinah passed her girlfriend some rice and loved the smile Helena gave her in thanks. 

/

Across the world, somewhere in an unnamed shanty town, a woman of Chinese descent walked into a store, jingling the bell on the door as she entered. 

“Lady Shiva,” the man behind the counter greeted her with a bow. 

“Tell me.” 

“It has been organised,” he said. “Your daughter will be playing in the tournament three weeks from now.” 

“My daughter is coming home,” the woman known as Lady Shiva narrowed her eyes. “Make contact with this Gary Clearwater and ensure he does his part or suffers the consequences.” 

“Yes, Lady Shiva.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  



End file.
